


Ready, set, GO!

by AlexMonopolyGirl



Series: Deanoru Life [3]
Category: Runaways (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, Just Bear With Me, Some kissing, Tiny bit of plot, just go with it people, some language but nothing too bad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-05
Updated: 2018-03-05
Packaged: 2019-03-27 13:40:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13882035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlexMonopolyGirl/pseuds/AlexMonopolyGirl
Summary: The Runaways settle in their new place.





	Ready, set, GO!

**Author's Note:**

> There are a few time skips in this one-shot.... Please, bear with me here, guys. Usually time skips only happen between one-shots but I needed shit to happen in this one.

**Disclaimer:: I don’t own Marvel’s Runaways nor the characters. I’m just playing around for a bit. I’ll put them back, I swear! If I get sued, the only thing they can take from me is my phone. Just saying.**

 

*****************************************************

 

They ended 20 minutes outside of LA, staking-out an old abandoned scrapyard for three whole days before venturing in. The place was pretty big; the rows of old wrecked vehicles and junk creating a maze in and around the perimeter, protecting them from the world. Opposite to the old front gate stood a large warehouse that once had been used as a mechanic shop, based on what they found inside. There were many rows of shelves that contained car parts, piles of car seats and tires and general metallic junk. Much to the kids’ surprise, they found a small storage room (filled with junk), along with a slightly larger office and a bathroom in between. Yes, the place was old and dirty and it would take some work…but it was doable and as Chase spit out ideas of how to use everything around them to make their new home as comfortable as possible, they grinned, excited by the prospect.

 

Luck was on their side because despite needing a good cleaning and not having a shower, the bathroom still had running water and it worked. That definitely lifted their spirits as they set to work. The storage room and the office were cleared and cleaned first because they would become their _‘bedrooms’_. Chase had the idea of striping the car seats and using the cushions as mattresses and the group just melted with the idea after sleeping in the van all cramped up for days.

 

Just like everything else in the warehouse, the bathroom was covered in dust and in need of a good cleaning but other than that, it wasn’t actually dirty. Still the group argued for an hour because no one wanted to be the one cleaning it until Karolina shut them all up, rolled up the sleeves of her flannel and set to work, leaving it as squeaky clean as it was possible with their limitations.

 

Clearing up the center of the warehouse was the easiest part and if they opened the two large doors they could set up a small fire, as to not rely on the camp stove they had bought. Even Old Lace was happy since she got to roam freely through the maze of cars and junk hunting rats, much to the kids’ relief because _no one_ wanted to deal with rodents. Gert did warn her to stay away from the front gate, though.

 

To add another layer of protection Nico casted a few spells around the property. The girl was unsure of the spells would work, she didn’t quite know what she was doing, but if they were lucky, they would be safe.

 

By day three in their new home they were tired and covered in dust from head to toe but at least the place was clean (or as clean as it’d ever be) and they could wash up and have a relatively safe space to sleep.

 

Since there were four of them the girls had the former office to themselves while the boys had the former storage room. Most of the room was occupied by their improvised mattresses that formed their _‘beds’_. They had bought a few solar powered camp lamps, two for the girls and two for the boys because it got dark as hell inside the warehouse. The skylight in the roof of the warehouse allowed some moonlight to filter through (the thick layer of dust) but that wasn’t quite enough and even though the office had a window that looked into the warehouse, they needed the extra light.

 

Gert was the last to use the bathroom that night so Karolina, Nico and Molly went ahead to their new living quarter to change for bed. Since Molly had claimed the right side of the office as hers and Gert’s (their _‘beds’_ were right beneath the window) that left Karolina and Nico on the left, which cause the two girls to blush and avoid everyone gazes. Molly and Gert had shared an eye roll at their expense.

 

_“They act as if we couldn’t see them snuggling every night,” Molly had whispered to her sister with a giggle._

 

_“Just let them be,” Gert had snorted._

 

Fortunately in that moment while they changed Molly was distracted so she hadn’t noticed her two friends avoiding each other’s eyes and keeping their backs to each other. Although they totally peeked.

 

“Where the hell is Gert?” Molly wondered out loud, already getting comfortable in her new bed. She grinned because sure, it wasn’t the most comfortable bed in the world but it was way better than sleeping all piled up in the back of the van.

 

“She’s probably outside with Old Lace.” Karolina shot her a little smile as she finished putting on her t-shirt and sat down on her new bed. Really, calling them bed was a stretch: they were the naked cushions with a blanket spread over it (as a sheet) and a sleeping bag opened all the way to be used as a blanket. But they were comfortable enough and Karolina noted with satisfaction, Nico had kicked her bed closer until they formed one big bed. So really, she was elated with their new sleeping arrangement.

 

Nico held back an amused snort as it occurred to her that just maybe Gert was with Chase, sneaking about in the dark. Not unlike Karolina and herself earlier.

 

Sitting on her bed, back against the wall and knees bent up, Nico was hit with a wave of nostalgia. This wasn’t a sleepover but it suddenly reminded her of when they were younger and had their sleepovers in the Wilders’ guesthouse or in the Yorkes’ residence. Gert and Molly would share a room, Amy often got the Master bedroom to herself because she was the oldest, the boys would sprawl out on the couches in the living room and Karolina and Nico would share the last bedroom. Sure, sometimes Amy shared with them but more often than sometimes it was just the two of them. And sometimes the five girls would pile up in one room, creating as much chaos as expected.

 

Ignoring the pang of pain her sister’s memory always carried, Nico focused on the good and bit back a smile as she remembered tall, kinda lanky Karolina towering over both Minoru sisters, for which Amy always gave her good-natured shit. Karolina, always graceful and beautiful even in her awkward puberty years (it was almost unfair) always responded to her sister’s teasing with a goofy grin and playfulness that ( _Nico knew_ ) years of being Leslie Dean’s _perfect church daughter_ had almost erased. _Almost_. It was subdued but Nico could still see traces of that playfulness and goofiness in Karolina, specially when she interacted with Molly and when they were alone.

 

Not for the first time, Nico wished Amy was with her. Her sister would have good advice to give her. And a shit ton of teasing for the fact that she was with Karolina. But Amy would be supportive and protective of them both. She always was. Knowing her sister, Amy would give Karolina the shovel-talk and then turn around and give _her_ the shovel-talk as well.

 

Nico hoped no one heard the pained snort she tried to muffle as that last thought occurred to her. Karolina shot her a questioning look without interrupting her conversation with Molly but Nico subtly shook her head, trying to convey that everything was alright. The blonde didn’t seem fully convinced but she let it go, much to Nico’s relief. Because no, everything wasn’t alright. A part of her had died with Amy, a part that she would never get back. And it burned and hurt and ached, sometimes so deeply she could feel it in her bones. _Time helped,_ it really did, but the scar left would never fade away completely and it ached every time Nico thought about her sister. Like the phantom pain of a missing limb. But time helped, it did, and Nico held onto that knowledge, that hope. The world waited for no one to finish mourning and the truth was one never really stopped mourning or feeling grief over the loss of a loved one. But one learnt to live with it and time did the rest… Time never stopped passing and the world didn’t stop spinning and considering their situation, Nico knew she couldn’t afford to get lost in herself anymore. She wasn’t alone anymore. And maybe they were all a little battered and broken (Goddess knew they all had issues) but they were a family and they had each other. Nico needed to believe in that.

 

Her musings were interrupted by Gert entering the room, followed by Old Lace who instantly plopped down between Molly’s and Gert’s beds. The purple-haired girl seemed a little out of breath and Nico could swear her shirt was more wrinkled than it had been before.

 

“What took you so long?” Molly asked, curious.

 

“Lace was a little restless, new place and all,” Gert answered rapidly as she begun to untie her shoes, not really looking at any of them.

 

Nico narrowed her eyes after the deinonychus huffed slightly, almost as if snorting at the bespectacled girl.

 

“Poor Lace. Did ya have to _chase_ her or somethin’?” The goth put special emphasis on the word _‘chase’_ but otherwise sounded casual, maybe a bit too casual. But she wasn’t exactly going for subtle.

 

The three girls instantly got her taunt. Molly’s mouth formed a perfect O as she tried not to laugh and Karolina shot her a warning look as if saying _‘please, don’t get into it with Gert right now’_ while Gert glared at her from behind her glasses.

 

“No. She just needed to burn off some energy. Also I promised her a little _spooning_ and she was great,” Gert shot back her own subtle jab.

 

Molly wished for a moment that she had popcorn to enjoy the show while Karolina was trying to come up with a way to end the jabs-match before either of them said something they shouldn’t. Also, why was she alone there to feel embarrassed? Chase should be there feeling embarrassed too. It just wasn’t fair!

 

“Boy, is that why your clothes are all wrinkled? They weren’t before.” It wasn’t her most subtle work but since _when_ did Nico Minoru care about being subtle?

 

Gert had never really cared for subtle either.

 

“You know what, Nico? Fuck you.” Gert rolled her eyes at her as she huffed. She knew that Nico was teasing her for shit and giggles, she didn’t mean anything bad by it. But Gert just wasn’t in the mood.

 

“Nah, thanks. You’re kinda hot but so not my type,” Nico smirked at the wide-eyed look in her favorite blonde’s face and Molly’s obvious amusement and Gert’s eye-rolls.

 

“Trust me, you’re not my type either. Besides we all know you’re into pretty blondes.” Gert matched her smirk. “Hey, Karo, why don—”

 

“Hey, don’t bring her—”

 

“ _OKAY!_ ” Karolina cut in before they actually started arguing or fighting. “First, you two leave **me** out of your shit. Second, it’s late and we should sleep. So we’re gonna sleep.” When none of them moved Karolina narrowed her eyes. “ **Now!** ”

 

That got them moving and soon the light from the lamp was off and they were plunged into darkness.

 

“That was kinda hot. What’d ya think, Gert?” Nico asked conversationally, as if they hadn’t been bickering a minute before.

 

“Yeah. Kinda was,” Gert agreed, rolling her eyes as she relaxed on her bed.

 

Molly’s giggle cut through the darkness of the room and Karolina was glad no one could see the light blush spreading over her cheeks.

 

“But if you two start making out, I’m gonna kick you both out,” Gert warned with mock-seriousness.

 

“Aww, man. Not fair. Not even a goodnight kiss?” Nico bantered back, holding back her laughter when Karolina subtly swatted her in the arm.

 

“For fuck’s sake, give her a kiss goodnight so we can all go to sleep, Karolina.”

 

“You’re not the boss of me,” Karolina shook her head to herself. They were all being ridiculous but it was strangely amusing.

 

Molly’s barely-muffled laughter was easily heard in the dead of night.

 

“Aaww, you don’t wanna kiss me?” Nico teased all mock-sad as she shuffled closer to the blonde.

 

“Oh I’m **always** up for kissing you,” Karolina flirted, her smile widening when she felt Nico’s hand bumping against her side. The blonde grabbed the hand and directed it up to her face. “But you probably don’t deserve any for bickering with Gert,” she added, mock-serious.

 

“Ooohh! Karo laying down the law!” Molly laughed.

 

Nico’s hand cupped her cheek and Nico knew Karolina was smiling as she carefully closed the gap, using her hand as a guide in the dark. Their noses bumped gently and their lips brushed playfully as the two girls adjusted their positions on their sides. Karolina’s hand dragged up Nico’s arm, over her shoulder to the back of her neck to tangle her fingers in silky black hair, to pull her closer as they kissed. It was a slow, sweet and chaste kiss, considering their friends were only a couple of feet away and still awake. 

 

“They really are making out, aren’t they?” Molly asked in her sister’s direction.

 

“Most likely,” was Gert’s response and even Old Lace huffed, amused. “If I turn on the light and you two are making out, I swear…”

 

“It was just a goodnight kiss, for Goddess’ sake,” they could hear the eye-roll in Nico’s voice.

 

“What happened to Nico not deserving any, Karo?” Molly asked.

 

“Oh please… Like I can refuse her,” Karolina snorted, amused.

 

“ _Dude_ , you admittin’ you’re _whipped_?” Molly asked, stunned.

 

“ _As if_ we didn’t know that already,” Gert commented.

 

“Either embrace it or get embarrassed by it. I’m embracing it,” Karolina stated and Nico snorted.

 

Karolina rolled onto her other side, pulling Nico in behind her by her hand. Nico automatically held her, molded to her back and the two girls relaxed, melting, entwining together.

 

“Night, guys,” Karolina called out gently into the dark.

 

Molly and Gert replied with a short _‘night’_ and Nico said nothing. Instead she nuzzled the back of Karolina’s neck with her nose and placed a sweet kiss on the soft skin. It had only been a few days and yet they were so incredibly comfortable with each other already, at least when it came to their snuggling at night. They didn’t even bother in trying to sleep separately. What for? They didn’t want to.

 

 

*********************************************************

 

 

Two weeks into their stay in their new home and they were at loss already. The kids just didn’t know what to do. Just sit and wait? Wait for the world to end? For the universe to give them a sign? For the Avengers to realize what was going on and come save the day? There was nothing they could do except stay safe in their warehouse, stewing in their own thoughts. And that just wouldn’t do. They had to be proactive, to keep themselves busy. Otherwise they’d go crazy.

 

That morning Nico woke up and the first thing she noticed was Karolina’s absence. That was strange. Karolina usually woke up first but Nico wouldn’t be behind by far so the blonde always waited for her. It was strange to wake up alone and she missed seeing Karolina first thing and that thought was slightly startling to Nico. Yes, they snuggled every night to sleep (when they weren’t sneaking to _‘their spot’_ for privacy) and Karolina was always there in the mornings with a radiant smile and a good morning kiss, much to their friends’ amusement, and Nico shouldn’t miss it already. It was too damn soon. But she did and it was definitely way too early for Nico to analyze that so she filed it away for later and went to get ready.

 

After cleaning up and getting dressed Nico wandered into the open space of their new home. Chase was having a great time tinkering with scrap parts and had come up with a few good ideas, like using the car seats as chairs (which they had arranged in a circle around the fire-pit), using metal sticks to create a grill they could use over the fire to cook or as support of their camp stove. He had also rigged a bunch of headlights and car batteries to give them light at night, for which they were ever so grateful even if they had to be careful of not abusing the power.

 

As she headed towards their sitting area because Gert was heating up water for the (instant) coffee for breakfast, Nico noticed where Karolina had gone to.

 

“What’s she doing?” Nico asked her friend as she stood there, observing.

 

“Meditating, it seems,” Gert replied as she checked the water in the pot. She added _‘buy a kettle’_ to the mental list of things they needed.

 

Karolina was sitting in lotus position by the entrance of the warehouse, facing the morning sun, her lights shining brighter than ever and she was floating four feet off the ground. Like a floating silver-colored star. Usually, Karolina’s colors weren’t silver-ish and the girl knew better than to bring it up with the blonde, the last thing she wanted was to hurt her. Focusing instead in the way the blonde glowed, the goth smiled subconsciously. Karolina always shone in tones of pink, yellow, red, blue and purple, all mixing and swirling and blending to create the most mesmerizing blends. Sometimes her lights would be pinker or bluer or purple would take over but her colors were always changing… Nico could never look away when Karolina let her lights out.

 

Molly and Chase joined Gert in preparing breakfast: coffee, powdered milk and granola bars. The three of them shared knowing looks and grins at the expense of Nico’s frozen form and it wasn’t until Molly called out Karolina’s name that Nico unfroze, quickly taking her seat and avoiding everyone’s eyes. Except for Karolina’s when the blonde sat beside her (now glowing with her usual colors) and shot her a radiant smile and a whispered _‘good morning’_. Nico simply nudged her arm with her elbow and shot her a quick wink.

 

Alex joined them a minute later, already fiddling with Chase’s laptop. It was offline, of course, but he at least kept entertained with it.

 

“Did you get everything ready, then?” Karolina asked in Chase’s direction half-way through breakfast.

 

“Not all but yeah. We’re good to start. Are **you** ready, though? Not gonna go easy on ya,” Chase grinned, excited.

 

“That’s the idea,” Karolina chuckled into her plastic mug.

 

“You?” Chase nudged Molly with his elbow.

 

“Dude, I was **born** ready,” Molly grinned.

 

“Let’s see if you say that in a couple of hours,” Chase taunted her.

 

“What are you three up to?” Gert’s voice interrupted the conversation.

 

The trio realized that Gert, Nico and Alex heard them and were looking at them.

 

“We’re going to train,” Molly announced, the other two nodding along.

 

“Train?” Gert and Nico asked simultaneously.

 

“Yeah. Chase found a good spot outside that we can use to train,” Karolina told them. “Since he’s got more experience than us he’s going to lead.”

 

“Just call me **Coach Stein** ,” Chase joked and pointed at his chest with his thumb.

 

Both Karolina and Molly groaned.

 

“Dude, we’re so **not** calling you Coach,” the younger girl told him firmly.

 

“But guys!” Chase wasn’t serious, he was just playing with his friends, of course.

 

“Excuse our confusion, but what are you exactly going to do?” Alex asked.

 

“We’re gonna focus on four things: endurance and resistance, developing physical strength, hand-to-hand combat and their powers,” Chase listed, turning serious. Despite their joking, he took their request seriously. They wanted to become stronger, they wanted to be able to protect themselves and their family, they wanted to fight and he would make sure they did. “Speaking of, we should get started.”

 

“I’m good to go,” Molly finished the last bite of her granola bar and jumped to her feet.

 

“Great, me too.” Chase grabbed his empty mug and the girls’. “I’ll clean these and meet you guys outside.”

 

“Sure!” Molly headed off with a spring in her step.

 

Karolina stood up and followed her but she retraced her steps a few seconds later, holding out her bracelet towards Nico.

 

“Hold this for me, please?” She requested gently.

 

“Sure.” Nico reached out and took the offered bracelet.

 

“Thanks.” Karolina smiled at her and then jogged away, her lights leaving ghostly traces behind her.

 

Chase sent them a little salute as he jogged by minutes later and the three of them shared a look, as if asking ‘ _what do we do now?’_

 

“Well, I think I’m gonna go play with Old Lace,” Gert muttered to herself.

 

“Where is she, by the way?” Nico asked her because she hadn’t seen the deinonychus anywhere.

 

Gert reached out through their link and after a minute her mouth twisted into a scold.

 

“She’s outside running laps around the perimeter with Chase, Molly and Karolina,” she finally replied.

 

“You serious?” Nico asked, baffled.

 

“Absolutely.”

 

“Well, shit,” Nico deadpanned. She realized she was still holdin Karolina’s bracelet so she opened the clasp and closed it around one of the belt loops of the skinny jeans she was wearing. “I’m gonna practice with my Staff. You guys wanna come?”

 

“Not like I have a better offer,” Gert shrugged.

 

“Sure, me neither,” Alex agreed as well. Although he was taking the laptop with him. Who knew Chase liked classic sci-fi books and had a whole folder of e-books in it? Alex figured he could read some while Nico and Gert did their thing.

 

*********************************************************

 

A month into their stay in their new home a sort of routine had developed. Karolina, Molly and Chase would spend hours training, sometimes most of the day, the three driven for reasons they didn’t disclose to no one, although it wasn’t hard to guess. Nico wasn’t lagging behind, practicing with her Staff as much as she could. Usually Gert sat by watching or helped her, always keeping her company and offering her usual dry sarcasm as they bantered back and forth. More often than sometimes Alex sat with them, either reading in the laptop or joining their conversations. They had talked, him and Nico, and things weren’t fully back to normal, Nico doubted they ever would on some level. But they had talked. Nico had extended an olive branch and Alex had accepted it humbly. They had been close friends at one point, and were part of the same team, they needed to get along. And maybe their friendship could be saved.

 

In the evenings Chase worked on his Fistigons, salvaging cables and parts from the scrap around them, although he hadn’t been lucky so far, while Molly and Gert usually kept him company when they weren’t playing with Old Lace. Karolina always meditated before the sun went down, recharging her energy before it got dark. She couldn’t exactly practice her flying outside so sometimes she would float and fly inside the warehouse, creating an entertaining spectacle for her friends. Although she was very careful of not exhausting her energies once it got dark.

 

The more Nico practiced with the Staff the most she understood how it worked. The Spells spoken out loud couldn’t be repeated (her creativity was key there) but there were a lot of things she could make happen by thinking about what she wanted in a very specific way and those _could_ be repeated. A part of Nico couldn’t help to think that her mother would be proud by her progress on her own but then she scolded herself for even thinking that. She did not want to think about her.

 

*********************************************************

 

It was late at night and the warehouse was silent and dark as Nico moved across the place, careful of not making any noise, towards the only source of light in the far corner. The others were all asleep and Nico definitely didn’t want to awake them up. Privacy was hard to come by considering their situation so Nico and Karolina had pretty much claimed their spot as soon as they found it. Didn’t mean Molly and Gert didn’t give them shit for sneaking out to their spot, though.

 

Karolina was already there when Nico arrived (the camp lamp illuminating the small secluded space), lying like a Greek Goddess (in a tank and sweatpants. She looked gorgeous) on a large car seat that functioned as a couch. Or maybe it was a truck seat? Who cared? Nico certainly didn’t. The blonde had extended a blanket over the seat and Nico would be damned if it wasn’t an inviting sight. Karolina smiled and jumped to her feet instantly and Nico just knew the warmth spreading over her cheeks had nothing to do with shyness or embarrassment and everything with the hot blonde standing in front of her.

 

“You looked cozy,” Nico commented as she stepped closer to the taller girl and wrapped her arms around her hips loosely. “Did you bring that over?” She asked, tilting her head towards their new couch.

 

“Yeah, earlier. Thought it’d be good to have somewhere to sit.” Karolina shrugged as she lazily placed her arms on the shorter girl’s shoulders, a sly smile taking over her face. “Didn’t want my neck to get all stiff again.”

 

“Your fault for bein’ so fuckin’ tall,” Nico deadpanned, not at all offended by the teasing remark.

 

Karolina giggled and pulled her closer, breathing out a _‘come here’_ before their lips met. They kissed languidly, pressing closer and deeper with every caress of their lips but without hurry. This was their time alone, no one would bother them unless it was an extreme emergency. They didn’t just make-out when they were alone but it’d be a lie to say they didn’t make most of their escapades. The pull (and the heat) between was both new and familiar, part of their connection, as if it had always existed, somehow. They were kinda shy at first, both fully aware of their inexperience (Nico hadn’t been with a girl before and Karolina’s experience was none-existent and no, no one counted that kiss with Chase) but as with everything else, it felt right and simple between. Everything was _easy_ between them. They could banter and laugh or have serious talks or just give in to the heat and most important, they could just _be_. Sometimes they spent their time in silence, _just breathing together_ , and for them that meant so much more either of them could express with words.

 

Nico pulled away and there was a sly little smile playing upon her lips, the kind that spelled troubles and Karolina gave a quirked eyebrow. Nico slowly removed her arms from her shoulders and before Karolina could even wonder what was going on she was gently pushed back until she fell on the couch with a huff. Karolina chuckled and rolled her eyes playfully at Nico, thinking the other girl was simply joking around. But a look at her smoldering eyes had her sitting up straight…

 

 _‘Oh, shit,’_ was all Karolina could think before her mind went blank, her pulse suddenly beating wildly. Time stopped and everything slowed down. Or at least that’s how Karolina’s _gay-as-fuck-short-circuited_ brain interpreted it all.

 

It was only a matter of seconds but for Karolina it all happened as if it was in slow motion. Nico closed the gap between them and lowered herself until she had one knee on each side of the blonde’s hips, effectively straddling the taller girl. Her hands gently cupped the back of Karolina’s neck, playing with the little hairs at the base of her skull. Karolina could only sit there, frozen.

 

“Breathe,” Nico whispered, her smirk fading at the frozen form beneath her.

 

Karolina hadn’t realized she wasn’t breathing until Nico told her so.

 

“Is this not okay? I can-” Nico begun to move to get off the girl but Karolina’s hands on her hips stopped her.

 

“It is! It **sooo** is. I swear,” Karolina rushed out to say before she could move. “You just took me by surprise, that’s all.”

 

“You sure?” Nico bit her lip, fully aware of the heat of Karolina’s hands on her leggings covered hips. Her hands were holding her tight, not unpleasantly so, and Nico would be lying if she said she didn’t like it.

 

“Yeah.” Her voice came out way huskier than usual, not that Karolina noticed. But Nico **did**. Karolina licked her lips subconsciously, equal parts nervous and in awe of the gorgeous girl straddling her lap. “Can I admit something?”

 

“You can tell me anything,” Nico murmured, enjoying the closeness and relaxing on the taller girl’s lap.

 

“I…thought about this before. Never thought it’d ever happen but I thought about it,” Karolina confessed, a sheepish little smile pulling at her lips.

 

“Us making-out? Kar, we’ve been making-out for weeks,” Nico chuckled.

 

“Not… **that**. I mean, kissing you won’t **ever** get old, Nico. But I meant… **this** ,” Karolina nodded down to their position and her hands gently squeezed the girl’s hips.

 

“Oh.” The corner of Nico’s mouth quirked upwards, amused and slightly smug. “You thought about this? Me straddling you? Kissing you like this?”

 

Karolina swallowed and nodded. She could feel her own pulse in her neck and she knew Nico could too, since her thumb was stroking the skin there.

 

“Well, I’m here and I’m game. Are you?”

 

“I’m game. I’m so… Yeah. Totally.” Karolina could be confident, but in that moment she had zero chill.

 

Nico grinned and closed the gap between their lips.

 

They made out for hours or so it seemed. Even though all they’d done was kissing, it felt huge, this closeness they shared as they laid there, Nico half on top of Karolina, who had shifted to lie down on her back. They held each other, sharing lazy kisses and bantering back and forth.

 

Karolina was standing in the middle of completely uncharted territory. She had never done this, never really felt like this. So she was never fully sure of what she was doing, kept hesitating. But they were surprisingly good at communicating with each other, both with words and without. They were on the same page and there was no rush, just basking in their closeness. Despite the uncertainty in their lives, the two girls were determined to enjoy what they had… for however long it lasted.

 

Karolina was absentmindedly rubbing Nico’s back over her t-shirt and she only realized it when the shorter girl brought it up, already half asleep.

 

“If you keep doing that I’m gonna fall asleep,” Nico half-groaned with faux-annoyance. The girl burrowed closer until her nose was touching the other girl’s cheek, not too bothered by the idea.

 

“Sorry.” Karolina smiled and stilled her hand, letting it rest on the middle of her back.

 

“Didn’t ask you to stop,” Nico smiled against the blonde’s cheek.

 

“What? You wanna fall asleep here?” Karolina teased.

 

Nico let out a little hum and pressed her lips against Karolina’s cheek teasingly. She was comfortable and warm and honestly didn’t wanna move.

 

“Nico, we’re not falling asleep out here. C’mon, let’s go to bed,” Karolina urged her to move because she couldn’t move until Nico did.

 

“Don’t wanna.” Karolina just could hear the petulance in Nico’s voice.

 

“If we go to be now, I’ll rub your back all you want?” Karolina offered, smiling fondly. It wasn’t such a hardship, anyway.

 

Nico lifted her head and inspected the blonde.

 

“Promise?”

 

Karolina’s smile grew fonder, if it was possible.

 

“Pinky swear,” she replied, faux-serious.

 

Nico pressed their lips together in a short kiss before crawling over the blonde and standing up with a grumpy huff. Karolina shook her head, still smiling. She would never say it to her face but Nico was just adorable, sometimes. Grabbing the camp lamp with one hand and Nico’s hand with the other they headed back to the room they shared with their friends.

 

Nico nudged the blonde with her arm and smirked.

 

“What?” Karolina asked as she closed the door.

 

“Looks like we weren’t the only ones out,” Nico replied and nodded to Gert’s (empty) spot. Only Molly was in bed, snoring softly sprawled out on her back.

 

The two girls shared a chuckle.

 

“I hope those two get their shit together, it’s getting kinda lame,” Nico commented as she headed towards their bed (she did not realize she thought of it as _their_ bed) and kicked off her shoes, the taller girl following and doing the same.

 

“Let them be. They have to deal with their issues on their own time,” Karolina spoke wisely, keeping her voice low as she got into bed and shuffled closer to the center of the mattress before lying on her back.

 

Nico laid down as well, turned off the lamp and then resumed her earlier position half on top of Karolina.

 

“Trust me, don’t care what they do. But it’s great ammo against Gert’s teasing,” Nico whispered as Karolina pulled the sleeping bag over them.

 

“If you get into it with Gert, you’ll give away the fact that we were out there too,” Karolina reminded her. It wasn’t like they were hiding and their friends certainly knew they were together but considering the lack of privacy in their current situation, they wanted to enjoy what little privacy they could get.

 

“Fuck it, don’t care.” Nico buried her face against Karolina’s neck and pressed her lips against the soft tempting skin that was oh right there. “I believe I was promised a back rub,” she added, brushing her lips against the blonde’s skin on purpose because she knew that Karolina liked it. A shiver went down Karolina’s spine at the contact and the goth smiled triumphantly. She loved getting reactions out of Karolina.

 

“Stop teasing me or I won’t do it,” Karolina threatened, feeling smug for getting the upper hand for a second.

 

She expected a comment or a teasing remark from the other girl. Instead Nico burrowed closer, letting out a resigned _‘fine’_. Knowing the shorter girl wasn’t truly upset, Karolina begun to rub her back gently over her t-shirt.

 

Nico was out like a light in minutes, Karolina following right after.

 

**Author's Note:**

> OKay so I'm so sorry for this crappy one-shot! I KNOW it's crap! I'm so sorry. I'm so tired and have no excuses. I added this one-shot last minute because I had a lot to cramp up in here and I just had to get it over with. I'm really really sorry. I truly hope this piece of shit didn't turn you guys off from this series, I promise that the next one will be much better. I promise part 4 is much better and actually has more plot. 
> 
> With that said, thank you guys for putting up with my crap and giving me so much love. Your kudos and comments make my days and inspire me to keep writing. Thank you. <3


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